8 Underappreciated Towns To Visit In Arkansas
When the Quapaw people roamed the forests adjacent to the Ozark Mountains, they named the land Arkansas after the Algonquin term for “south wind.” These days, the south wind continues to blow visitors from near and far toward the most underappreciated towns to visit in Arkansas. In scenic small towns like Bella Vista and Mountain View, you can survey the wide forested breadths of Arkansas from the tops of mighty mountains. And in relaxing dwellings like Eureka Springs and Russellville, you can cherish the cultures and histories of the Natural State. Secrets and treasures abound in these underappreciated towns, so let the south wind take you through the forests and mountains of Arkansas.
Batesville
Approximately 90 miles northeast of Little Rock, the village of Batesville sits as the seat of Independence County. Located in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains and along the White River, Batesville was once an Osage Native American territory before it was ceded to the United States in an 1808 treaty. During the American Civil War, Confederate General Sterling Price relocated his soldiers to Batesville during Price's Raid. The Arkansas Heritage Trails System contains many historic markers and trails highlighting these particular moments. You can admire the career and triumphs of NASCAR racing star Mark Martin at the Mark Martin NASCAR Museum.
Go relax and frolic at the Polk (or Poke) Bayou Park on the splendid White River, particularly at an excellent swimming destination called “The Rocks.” You can also watch vintage movies at the Melba Theater, one of Batesville’s oldest structures remodeled in the Art Deco style. And if you ever need a place to stay, then look no further than the Ramada Inn, The Royal on Main, or Hampton Inn Batesville.
Bella Vista
The people who founded Bella Vista certainly had the right idea to name their town after the Spanish word for “beautiful views.” With its location on Missouri’s northern border and its 15-minute proximity to Bentonville, Bella Vista gives visitors beautiful views of the Ozark Mountains thanks to its 1,033-foot elevation above sea level. Trailblazers and thrill-seekers can find adventures along the many biking and hiking routes, such as Tanyard Creek Trail and Bluebird, which lead down to Lake Windsor and Lake Ann. You can attend masses or just meditate peacefully in the Gothic-arched Cooper Memorial Chapel, an avant-garde edifice that blends perfectly with the neighboring woods.
You can also honor the fallen at the Veteran Wall of Honor or learn more about Bella Vista’s indigenous history at the Museum of Native American History and Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. If you ever need a place to spend your days and nights in town, you can find all the comforts of a home at the Inn at Bella Vista.
Eureka Springs
In Eureka Springs, one of the hottest destinations in Arkansas, you will be shouting “eureka!” as you cool down in the spring waters that the Native Americans believe to be sacred healing places. There is much to explore and uncover in this untamed region of the Ozark Mountains, especially while walking along Beaver Lake. Beware when traipsing through the Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge because of the abundance of bears and big cats such as lions, tigers, and cougars.
Spelunkers can find exhilarating challenges at the Onyx Cave Park, where several “living” caves and caverns conceal many enshrouded secrets. Let the Christ of the Ozarks Statue, which overlooks much of the Victorian-style buildings in Eureka Springs, watch over you as you spend many of your lovely evenings at the 1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa, the Basin Park Hotel, or Osage Creek Lodge.
Russellville
Relish the beautiful Arkansas River while staying at the town of Russellville. There are over four pristine and premier parks that will make you want to stay a long time in Russellville, chiefly Lake Dardanelle, Mount Nebo, Mount Magazine, and Petit Jean. Aside from these bucolic playgrounds for recreation and rejuvenation, the Confederate Mothers Memorial Park is an honorable site dedicated to the mothers of Confederate soldiers.
The Arkansas Tech University Museum entreats visitors and locals with the beauty and usefulness of science. Indeed, Russellville champions innovation by being the only place in Arkansas with a nuclear power plant called the Arkansas Nuclear One (ANO) power plant. Only midway between Fort Smith and Little Rock, you can enjoy Russellville’s accommodating atmosphere at the Courtyard by Marriott Russellville, Clarion Inn & Suites, or La Quinta Inn & Suites.
Jasper
There are big attractions to cherish in the small town of Jasper. As a gateway to the expansive Buffalo National River—also known as the Little Buffalo River—there are numerous locations for hiking, biking, and even camping if you wish to spend your nights in the open. The Koen Experimental Forest is home to many intriguing flora and fauna. The Round Top Mountain entreats many a daring climber to ascend its excellent slopes, whereupon its summit is a perfect spot to survey the Ozarks.
There is also the lookout tower of Scenic Point, where you can get a 40-mile view of most of Arkansas and even to the neighboring state of Missouri. In the town itself, you can explore two different attractions sharing the name “Bradley,” these being the Bradley House Museum and Bradley Park. You might want to first purchase a room at the Arkansas House, Riverview Motel, or the Little Buffalo Terrace before you begin your adventure in Jasper.
El Dorado
Though not technically the fabled City of Gold, the magnificent village of El Dorado is still a golden opportunity you should definitely explore. The settlement has been hailed as “Arkansas’s Original Boomtown” since the 1920s oil boom was at its peak in El Dorado. Aside from black gold, people flock to El Dorado for the “Showdown at Sunset,” a periodic reenactment of a notorious shootout in 1902 between the Parnell and Tucker families, occurring every Saturday evening in the summer.
The past is open to all at the John Newton House. You can also visit the Arkansas Museum of Natural Resources located in nearby Smackover or the South Arkansas Museum of African-American History. The South Arkansas Arboretum is a 13-acre paradise for outdoor lovers. No need to feel unwanted in the town of black gold because lodgings such as Haywood El Dorado Tapestry, El Dorado Inn, and Candlewood Suites El Dorado will keep you comfortable and entertained in El Dorado.
Mountain View
For a grandiose view of the Ozark Mountains, head to Mountain View, a place renowned for its festive traditional folk music expressed in banjos and dancing. Mountain View welcomes visitors to some of the best folk songs in the Ozarks, especially in the Ozark Folk Center State Park. There, the Ozark Cultural Resource Center preserves and celebrates the local music and culture via music theater and crafts you can participate in. Mountain View continues to enjoy its folksy ambiance by hosting the Mountain View Bluegrass Festival from Mar 9 to 11 and Nov 9 to 11.
There is also the Beanfest & Championship Outhouse Races, which transpire annually every October. If you want to venture through the mountainous landscapes around Mountain View, then delve into the Blanchard Springs Caverns, trek through the Ozark National Forest, or brave the Hell Creek Natural Area. Last but not least, recharge and refresh yourself at the Knotty Squirrel, the Dogwood Motel, or the Bunk House at the Broom Factory.
Paris
Only 45 minutes from Russellville, experience a taste of Paris, France, in the quaint town of Paris in Arkansas. With its location on the slopes of Mount Magazine, the highest mountain in Arkansas, you can admire panoramic sceneries of the Arkansas landscape, such as the Ouachita Mountains. Regarding events and celebrations, the Mount Magazine State Park holds the yearly Butterfly Festival. There, you can watch many different butterfly species flutter about in high bloom. For those intrigued by the past, the Logan County “Old Jail” Museum showcases the last legal hangings in Arkansas. And naturally, you can take photos of an 18-foot-tall Eiffel Tower, with its own 7-foot-tall, two-tiered water fountain at the top. Lest you forget, you should first book a room at the illustrious Paris Inn.
There are many phrases like “eureka!” or “Vive la Paris” to proclaim in the many underappreciated towns to visit in Arkansas. Whether you are lounging in the cool waters of Eureka Springs or gallivanting in the cultured streets of Paris, there is no shortage of delights to be cherished in the Natural State. For spectacular sights of the forested land, head on over to Mountain View and Bella Vista. For the culture and history of the region, towns like Russellville and Jasper have all the exhibits. But for a soul-fulfilling trip throughout Arkansas, visit all these magical and musical small towns in the Natural State.
